I've been struggling with depression and writing for years now. I wanted a gateway into writing again and thought solo journaling might help me feel inspired.
I'm not too sure if I'm doing solo journaling right, considering I'm new to this but I already feel motivated to write and started remembering how much fun it was to write for yourself and not for an audience.
<33 I'm still early into my playthrough but it has been so much fun and my creative juices are starting to run again!
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! We know depression can be a super tough battle to deal with - and the fact we're able to be a tiny part of your journey makes us very happy. We actually wrote this game during the ugliest bits of the covid pandemic, and our goal was to make something that could work as a bit of an escape to a kinder, more comforting space. It still feels like that when we play it, and it's nice to know when it feels the same way for someone else - so, again, thanks for sharing, and we're very happy it's helping you find your writing groove (and joy)!
As far as we're concerned, if you're having fun and feeling creative, you're ABSOLUTELY doing solo journaling right - honestly, it couldn't even be more right!
Hope you have a nice time with your neighborhood and with your journaling! Keep rocking!
This game is my happy place. It revolutionized the way I think of solo TTRPGs by giving me an experience and a character I could come back to again and again.
If you're looking for a solo TTRPG with some real meat to it, this game is mechanically satisfying as well as being thoughtful and sweet. Huge, huge recommend.
Thank you so much for your continued support - you are *our* happy place!
For anyone reading this, please go check out everything on Peach Garden Games' page - you're in for SO MUCH GOOD STUFF (including the BEST Friendly Neighborhood Superhero hack ever - seriously, go play To Swear On Your Honor)!!
We're currently in the process of updating our files so they're eligible for print on demand services. By following us, you will definitely receive a notification when we're ready for it, so thanks for sticking around and we hope to have news for you soon!
Hi, I'd like to try the game out but cannot afford to purchase it at the moment. I'll be very grateful to grab a community copy but they're all claimed right now (:
Thanks a ton! Hard to beat a Cat scratcher in terms of their positive influence on the Feline world, let alone an entire studio full of them. Thanks again for sharing your creation and your generosity :)
Friendly Neighborhood Super Hero is possibly the crunchiest solo trpg I've seen. It's got a solid aesthetic, and it's extremely easy to read, but it's a standout case of journal optional, dice required.
And frankly, it makes it work.
In some ways, FNSH is like an open-ended Lone Wolf or Fighting Fantasy book, and that's kind of incredible. Character creation is about as detailed as it would be for something like Fate, with identity, superpower, attributes, and neighborhood all being things you create before starting gameplay. Furthermore, each attribute has an advancement track and a damage track, and it *is* possible to lose the game---although canonically your loss merely motivates your community to get its act together, so if your game goes poorly, it's still going to feel fitting and interesting, rather than heartbreaking and demotivating (although admittedly some of the attribute failure text does lean towards "you did badly and everyone is laughing at you.")
FNSH has a lot of random tables for generating custom situations, but once you've figured out what issue your hero is tangling with today, the dice system comes into play. The basics of it are, you have a d6 pool based on one of four attributes. You can add bonus dice if you use your signature power, or a bunch of bonus dice if you use a limited super move. However, different challenges are strong against different attributes, so specialist and generalist builds are both pretty evenly balanced.
You gain xp by clearing challenges that are strong against the attribute you are using, or by failing challenges, but every time you fail you can immediately launch a new attempt, and every time you succeed challenges start becoming strong against the attribute you are using, so the game has some pretty powerful rubber-banding to keep you from getting stuck in a lose-more spiral or simply mechanics-sledgehammering your way to victory.
There's also quite a lot of progression in FNSH, and in addition to tracking your attributes advancement/damage, your xp, and your various upgrades, you can also permanently build structures/policies in your community that give you bonuses whenever they come into play. It's a neat extra layer, and gives you a feeling of actually shaping your environment through your actions, rather than just becoming stronger as a hero. There's even multiple options for connecting a string of games into a campaign, or even running FNSH as a multi-solo-player game with a GM, creating a few extra layers of depth.
Finally, FNSH doesn't advertise itself this way but it may also be worth taking a look at as an all-ages game. Structurally, I think it's kind of perfect for ages 9+, as it trains creativity, logic, and writing, all in an enjoyable, interactive way---although admittedly it does say hell as part of a newspaper headline (p.12) and ass as part of some rules text (p.17), and I'm aware that there is a plurality of feelings about when fighting is justified, so please read through first and use your own judgement if FNSH as an all-ages game is something you're interested in.
Overall, this feels like a heck of a sleeper hit. Even if super heroes aren't your thing, its engine is genius, and feels easily convertible to any other genre or tone. One thing I'd sort of hoped for from the game (mechanical bonuses for helping a real-life community you're part of) isn't present, but it's completely easy to house-rule in if you want to go that route.
If you haven't picked up a copy of this yet, and if you enjoy journaling games, superhero games, or gamebooks, I strongly recommend it.
Thank you so much for such a well thought out review! We honestly think we couldn't have described our own game better - and it feels really nice to see so much of what we intended resonated with you the way we wanted! We're happy you enjoyed your time with our game :)
(Is it okay to share this review on our social medias? We'd love to pay it forward and help bring more people to your reviews and to your games!)
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I've been struggling with depression and writing for years now. I wanted a gateway into writing again and thought solo journaling might help me feel inspired.
I'm not too sure if I'm doing solo journaling right, considering I'm new to this but I already feel motivated to write and started remembering how much fun it was to write for yourself and not for an audience.
<33 I'm still early into my playthrough but it has been so much fun and my creative juices are starting to run again!
Hey, God Complex!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! We know depression can be a super tough battle to deal with - and the fact we're able to be a tiny part of your journey makes us very happy. We actually wrote this game during the ugliest bits of the covid pandemic, and our goal was to make something that could work as a bit of an escape to a kinder, more comforting space. It still feels like that when we play it, and it's nice to know when it feels the same way for someone else - so, again, thanks for sharing, and we're very happy it's helping you find your writing groove (and joy)!
As far as we're concerned, if you're having fun and feeling creative, you're ABSOLUTELY doing solo journaling right - honestly, it couldn't even be more right!
Hope you have a nice time with your neighborhood and with your journaling! Keep rocking!
I can't believe I never wrote a public review!
This game is my happy place. It revolutionized the way I think of solo TTRPGs by giving me an experience and a character I could come back to again and again.
If you're looking for a solo TTRPG with some real meat to it, this game is mechanically satisfying as well as being thoughtful and sweet. Huge, huge recommend.
Cat you are too kind and LITERALLY the best!
Thank you so much for your continued support - you are *our* happy place!
For anyone reading this, please go check out everything on Peach Garden Games' page - you're in for SO MUCH GOOD STUFF (including the BEST Friendly Neighborhood Superhero hack ever - seriously, go play To Swear On Your Honor)!!
I would like to be able to buy a printed copy, is that possible?
Hey, CBaker! We really appreciate your show of interest in our game!
Currently, we don't have print copies available - but we're looking into updating all of our games to use drivethru's print-on-demand service soon!
In the meantime, feel free to print the pdf in any way you see fit - you absolutely have our blessing to use any print service you may want :)
Again, thanks for the message, and we're sorry print copies aren't available yet!
I claimed a free copy to have a look through it.
It seems promising.
I think you a print on demand service would be well worth it.
It seems like your system could be easily expanded.
I'll follow 'Catscratcher Studio' will that give me an update if it goes up for print on demand?
Hey, Darth Vegeta!
We hope you enjoy the game!
We're currently in the process of updating our files so they're eligible for print on demand services. By following us, you will definitely receive a notification when we're ready for it, so thanks for sticking around and we hope to have news for you soon!
Hi, I'd like to try the game out but cannot afford to purchase it at the moment. I'll be very grateful to grab a community copy but they're all claimed right now (:
Hey, Stan!
Jut added a few copies! Hope you have some fun helping your neighborhood and going on some saturday morning adventures!
(PS: that's a great profile picture, we stan a kitty grooving to their favorite songs!!!)
Thanks a ton! Hard to beat a Cat scratcher in terms of their positive influence on the Feline world, let alone an entire studio full of them. Thanks again for sharing your creation and your generosity :)
Friendly Neighborhood Super Hero is possibly the crunchiest solo trpg I've seen. It's got a solid aesthetic, and it's extremely easy to read, but it's a standout case of journal optional, dice required.
And frankly, it makes it work.
In some ways, FNSH is like an open-ended Lone Wolf or Fighting Fantasy book, and that's kind of incredible. Character creation is about as detailed as it would be for something like Fate, with identity, superpower, attributes, and neighborhood all being things you create before starting gameplay. Furthermore, each attribute has an advancement track and a damage track, and it *is* possible to lose the game---although canonically your loss merely motivates your community to get its act together, so if your game goes poorly, it's still going to feel fitting and interesting, rather than heartbreaking and demotivating (although admittedly some of the attribute failure text does lean towards "you did badly and everyone is laughing at you.")
FNSH has a lot of random tables for generating custom situations, but once you've figured out what issue your hero is tangling with today, the dice system comes into play. The basics of it are, you have a d6 pool based on one of four attributes. You can add bonus dice if you use your signature power, or a bunch of bonus dice if you use a limited super move. However, different challenges are strong against different attributes, so specialist and generalist builds are both pretty evenly balanced.
You gain xp by clearing challenges that are strong against the attribute you are using, or by failing challenges, but every time you fail you can immediately launch a new attempt, and every time you succeed challenges start becoming strong against the attribute you are using, so the game has some pretty powerful rubber-banding to keep you from getting stuck in a lose-more spiral or simply mechanics-sledgehammering your way to victory.
There's also quite a lot of progression in FNSH, and in addition to tracking your attributes advancement/damage, your xp, and your various upgrades, you can also permanently build structures/policies in your community that give you bonuses whenever they come into play. It's a neat extra layer, and gives you a feeling of actually shaping your environment through your actions, rather than just becoming stronger as a hero. There's even multiple options for connecting a string of games into a campaign, or even running FNSH as a multi-solo-player game with a GM, creating a few extra layers of depth.
Finally, FNSH doesn't advertise itself this way but it may also be worth taking a look at as an all-ages game. Structurally, I think it's kind of perfect for ages 9+, as it trains creativity, logic, and writing, all in an enjoyable, interactive way---although admittedly it does say hell as part of a newspaper headline (p.12) and ass as part of some rules text (p.17), and I'm aware that there is a plurality of feelings about when fighting is justified, so please read through first and use your own judgement if FNSH as an all-ages game is something you're interested in.
Overall, this feels like a heck of a sleeper hit. Even if super heroes aren't your thing, its engine is genius, and feels easily convertible to any other genre or tone. One thing I'd sort of hoped for from the game (mechanical bonuses for helping a real-life community you're part of) isn't present, but it's completely easy to house-rule in if you want to go that route.
If you haven't picked up a copy of this yet, and if you enjoy journaling games, superhero games, or gamebooks, I strongly recommend it.
Thank you so much for such a well thought out review! We honestly think we couldn't have described our own game better - and it feels really nice to see so much of what we intended resonated with you the way we wanted! We're happy you enjoyed your time with our game :)
(Is it okay to share this review on our social medias? We'd love to pay it forward and help bring more people to your reviews and to your games!)
It's a really, really cool game, and I'd love to see more titles exploring this sort of roleplaying-gamebook approach.
You can totally share the review, or share snippets of text from it, or anything like that.